Alex Ovechkin will not go to the NHL All-Star Game, Washington Capitals general manager George McPhee announced Tuesday.

“His heart’s not in it,” McPhee said, adding that the Caps star does not want to be a “distraction” during the festivities.

“My heart is not there. I suspended, so why I have to go there?” Ovechkin said. “I love the game; it’s great event. I’d love to be there, but I’m suspended. I don’t want to be a target. I feel I’m not deserving to be there right now. If I suspended, I have to be suspended. That’s why I give up my roster [spot].”

Heck. Logic would say, “Bully for you Alex. Bully for you and by golly if your heart’s not in it young man, then stay home you shall.” But there’s a minor problem with that, isn’t there Gary?

Yep. You set the precedent in 2009, little fella. You set the frigging standard and now the ball’s in your court. Better suspend him Gary. Because if not? Well, if not, it looks like all those tin foil hats are coming back out and they’re bringing credibility with them.

Ron MacLean spoke to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman during the second intermission of Hockey Night in Canada’s coverage of the All-Star Game, and he stated that the suspensions of Detroit Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom and forward Pavel Datsyuk for “skipping” the All-Star weekend’s media/sponsor-schmoozing was justified (and MacLean complains that the fans are on board and say it’s greedy/selfish) because Pittsburgh Penguins forward Sidney Crosby showed up despite an injury and took part in the weekend and supposed fan-bonding activities when he was invited, and being at the All-Star Game when you’re invited is not an option.

He claims that he likes Datsyuk and Lidstrom, but he’s suspended them because, “You can’t just get injured for this game,” and if one does so, the league expects that the players must sit out for the game prior to the All-Star break or the game immediately following it, saying, “You have to come and participate in the activities like Sidney Crosby did or you can’t play.”

Uh oh. Ovechkin’s not even claiming injury. Just martyrdom. He’s just being a bitch. Can you suspend someone for being a bitch? If so, the Blues just forfeited the rest of the season.

Ovechkin’s a big name having a troublesome year. He’s already on the league’s shit list so a one-game suspension would seem like the logical move, considering Little Gary.Ass suspended two of the league’s best citizens three years ago. But “logic” and Bettman have never gone together. Not a single time. He’s gonna bone this. Without a doubt, Bettman’s gonna bone this one too.

“In light of yesterday’s suspension, we informed the Capitals that, while Alex Ovechkin was still welcome to participate in this weekend’s All-Star festivities in Ottawa, we would not be insisting that he do so,” said NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly. “We now understand that Alex has decided to withdraw from this weekend’s events. Given the circumstances involved, we understand Mr. Ovechkin’s decision in this regard, and have no intention of pursuing this matter further.”

Posted by IwoCPO from Sunny San Diego, bitches on 01/25/12 at 08:39 AM ET

Why Fresca?

I only ask because stupid questions seem to be the order of the day, at least according to NHLJeff.

Posted by Forlorn in VA on 01/25/12 at 08:48 AM ET

Because Lil Gary probably drinks Fresca. It’s a manly drink you know.

Personally I think that if you are suspended then you can’t participate in the ASG. But since that’s not the rule, OV needs to be held to the same standard as Lidstrom/Datsyuk. Of course, we know he doesn’t meet that standard, but still…....

Hey 19, you all are aware that our favorite midget commish has a call in program every Thursday on Sirius/xm “Home Ice” channel? I say we should make every effort to get a question through to the weasel and see how he spins thief story.

In the dark recessess of Bettman’s mind this all makes sense. He is a pathetic, sniveling, drooling dirt bag of a commissioner that wants to make “double standard” the norm of how the league operates. He is a ruthless bastard that will continue to squeeze the RedWings dry to pad his resume and justify his existence.

Posted by
42jeff
from The greater Howard City, MI metroplex on 01/25/12 at 01:42 PM ET

I’m not sure why Betteman would have to make a decision….
Ovechin was suspended by the league, and the All Star game falls during the time he’s suspended….
Betteman gave him the option to play….He said No, so it should be end of story…
It’s a completely different case than Lidstrom….If Ovechin wasn’t suspended he’d be playing….
The above blog was just using Ovechin as an excuse to attack Betteman

Posted by
Rob
on 01/25/12 at 01:51 PM ET

The above blog was just using Ovechin as an excuse to attack Betteman

Posted by Rob on 01/25/12 at 10:51 AM ET

Just waking up in the morning is an excuse to attack Betteman.

Posted by
42jeff
from The greater Howard City, MI metroplex on 01/25/12 at 01:53 PM ET

The simple point is that Ovie was selected to go and the league isn’t telling him he can’t. Therefore, he should be there.

I know, but…but…he’s suspended and that changes everything and makes this an exception. Yes, that’s correct. Just like missing a good portion of the end of the last game before the break (a 1 goal game, no less) because you’re injured makes it pretty obvious that you’re justified claiming you’re not playing in the All-Star game because you’re injured. Oh, wait….that’s not right. Sorry, Datsyuk. You’re not really hurt and could play in the All-Star game, so suspension for you. NO EXCEPTIONS!!!!

You’re not really hurt and could play in the All-Star game, so suspension for you. NO EXCEPTIONS!!!!

Valek, you don’t have it quite right. it wasn’t about playing or not playing. players who can’t play in the actual game still go and participate in all the other things going on - media, fans, etc.

so anyway, can someone tell me why the All Star game should count as part of his suspension, when playoff games usually don’t? the league is very specific. if they meant the A* game to count, they would have said so.

this isn’t about differences. this is about double standards. if he wasn’t eligible because of his suspension, then he wouldn’t have been selected to go. he WAS selected to go, and IS eligible, and IS healthy. the ONLY reason he isn’t going is he doesn’t WANT to.

You’re correct PaulinMIamiBeach, and I was aware that if Datsyuk or Lidstrom (or Lindstrom as league seems to go with on occasion) had shown up for the “festivities” as Crosby did that year, they wouldn’t have been suspended. I just skipped over it as Ovie not showing up at all is the same as Datsyuk and Lidstrom.

Now I could live with Ovie not getting an extra game tacked on for skipping the All-Star game if at some point Bettman would say something along the lines of, “we really screwed up in supsending Datsyuk and Lidstrom in 2009, and instead of repeating a mistake we decided not to suspend Ovechkin for skipping All-Star weekend”. That’s all I ask.

I agree that this seems like a double-standard, but I’m curious, if you were to meet Gary Bettman in person, would you be this disrespectful to his face?
Posted by NHLJeff from Pens fan in Chicago, IL on 01/25/12 at 08:35 AM ET

No. I’d cower and offer him a Fresca.
Posted by IwoCPO from Sunny San Diego, bitches on 01/25/12 at 08:39 AM ET

It’s okay, Raspberry, that’s why you have me to look down upon Li’l Gary and bring the sarcasm of A2Y to him in person. Of course, it was so distasteful I took over a year to get back into watching the game, so meeting Li’l Gary is not without its perils.

Posted by
VooX
from Behind the Bar in the Hasek Club Car on 01/25/12 at 05:16 PM ET

It’s okay, Raspberry, that’s why you have me to look down upon Li’l Gary and bring the sarcasm of A2Y to him in person. Of course, it was so distasteful I took over a year to get back into watching the game, so meeting Li’l Gary is not without its perils.

Posted by VooX from Behind the Bar in the Hasek Club Car on 01/25/12 at 02:16 PM ET

Never a more courageous man than you, VooX.

You don’t get it enough, Tarbender, but I thank you for your attending and reporting on the Shanahan Summit a couple of years ago. That audio interview with Gary.Ass is still one of the slimiest, greasiest, and smarmiest stuck-up snobbish things I’ve ever heard from the turd bucket of a commish.

I appreciate it, but I actually worry that the interview is what caused Paul (the Emperor) to be dropped as an NHL blogger just a week or so before the 2010 season began. That really fuched with my head, and all motivation to blog, or even watch the game at all, was completely drained from me.

I’ve never publicly wondered about my hurting the Emperor’s gig, but there it is… my deepest, most horrible regret if it is true. I really tried to be a gentleman, I think I truly represented KK well, but that nagging, persistent guilt has haunted me ever since.

Anyways, Fuch Gary. Ass.

Posted by
VooX
from Behind the Bar in the Hasek Club Car on 01/25/12 at 05:28 PM ET

Waiting for someone to link the Tim Thomas act of bravery and defiance with the Alex Ovechkin vagilation and cowardice.

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Welcome to Abel to Yzerman, a Red Wing blog since 1977. No other site on the internet has better-researched, fact-laden and better prepared discussions than A2Y. Re-phrase: we do little research, find facts and stats highly overrated and claim little to no preparation. There are 19 readers of A2Y. No more, no less. All of them, except maybe one, are juvenile in nature. Reminding them of that in the comment section will only encourage them to prove that. Your suggestions and critiques are welcome: wphoulihan@gmail.com